Birds

Do birds have ears?

How are birds able to hear so well? Sheena Harvey investigates
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Why London's blackbirds are dying – and how you can help

The public's help is needed to survey the spread of a virus that targets blackbirds, say researchers from the British Trust for Ornithology.
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What's the most common bird in Britain?

With an estimated 11 million breeding pairs, this little common garden bird has soared to the top of the charts
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Why does the UK have yellow birds?

What affects a bird's plumage colour? Why are some birds yellow? Mike Toms explains
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Here are the 7 best places to go birdwatching in London – according to a birding expert

Even in the UK’s largest urban expanses, birdsong can be heard rising above the humdrum of city life – we reveal some of the best places in the London to see and hear birdlife.
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Can a swan really break your arm? 

We've heard the myths... but are they true? Swans are powerful birds, but could they actually break your arm?
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Why do birds sing in the morning?

The dawn chorus is a beautiful sound but why does it take place in the morning?
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First puffins spotted back on the Farne Islands after spending the winter 'rafting' at sea

The puffins have arrived in perfect time, as visitors are welcomed back to Inner Farne in the 28-island archipelago this month
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Birding world in shock as starlings heard mimicking Oasis' Wonderwall in Manchester

Experts believe the birds have picked up the famous pop song in the city centre, where it is played relentlessly by buskers. 
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This prehistoric-looking animal was once extinct in Britain – now it's making an astonishing comeback

Britain's bittern population is booming, with a record-breaking year in 2024, according to a new report by Natural England and the RSPB.
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World's fastest predator attacks huge flock of starlings in Cheshire

Dramatic video footage shows the moment a stunning murmuration is disrupted by a hunting bird of prey.
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Best bird box cameras for wildlife watching in 2025

BBC Countryfile Magazine's guide to the best bird box cameras to use this nesting season.
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The elusive 'phantom of the forest' is expanding its range – scientists tracked 29 of them to find out more

There are now more than 1,200 pairs of goshawks in the UK. As their slow recovery continues, could we see this majestic bird of prey nesting in city parks, as they do in other European countries?
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British seabirds: how to identify and where to see

Our guide explores some of the UK's most common types of seabird, where they live and the best places to see them.
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Heron vs Egret: how to spot the difference between these two (very similar) leggy, graceful birds with elongated necks

These elegant waders seem almost identical, but a few fundamental differences stand out between the grey heron and its white-feathered relatives, the egrets
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It guzzles rats head-first and stabs its prey to death: Here's why the grey heron is king of the river

Stationary and silent, waiting for prey, the heron has become an increasingly common sight at the water’s edge. Mark Hillsdon explores this elegant hunter’s world
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Raven vs crow: what's the difference between these birds and how can you tell them apart?

Do you know the difference between a carrion crow and a raven? Fergus Collins explains the difference between these similar-looking birds.
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How do birds stay warm during winter? Discover the amazing secrets of feathers and how they keep birds toasty whatever the weather

Bestowing the gifts of flight and warmth, enabling birds to survive the frozen months, feathers are a marvel of nature. How do these amazing appendages work and how did they evolve? Ben Hoare reveals all
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How do puffins manage to catch so many fish in one go?

Puffins are famed for carrying lots of fish in their mouths but how on Earth do they manage it? Mike Toms explains
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Here's why scientists spent three years analysing 100,000 bird songs in an English wood 

Bird communities’ songs change and evolve over time due to demographic changes, just like human dialects and musical traditions, according to a fascinating new study, reports Graeme Green
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Birdlife more abundant on well-managed solar farms than on arable farmland, finds RSPB study

Researchers recorded nearly three times as many birds on solar farms managed with wildlife in mind as they did on adjacent arable land.
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Guide to pigeons and doves in the UK: how to identify them and what's the difference

Five species of pigeon and dove can be found in the UK countryside – three common, two extremely rare. Find out more with our quick-fire guide
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Bird's-eye view of London revealed in incredible aerial video

Spectacular footage shows the London cityscape from the perspective of a skein of barnacle geese.
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